Jonathan Prentice (1657 - 1727)

Born 15 Jul 1657 in New London, New London, Connecticut

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Latimer) Prentis — married 1691 in New London, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 28 Jul 1727 at age 70 in New London, New London, Connecticut

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Biography

Baptism

19 APR 1668 Roxbury, Mass

Occupation

1678 Age: 21 New London, New London, Connecticut Blacksmith and Seaman, partnered with John & Joseph Coit in some of their ships. In 1678 with father John, commanded the John & Hester, largest ship of that time, in the West Indies trade. Later became a New London justice and deputy to CT's General Court.

Marriage

Spouse: Elizabeth Latimer

1692, Age: 35

New London, New London, Connecticut

Death

1727 28 Jul Age: 70 New London, New London, Connecticut Age: 70

http://dunhamwilcox.net/town_hist/nl-chap15b.htm

The building of vessels commenced about 1660 by John COIT, or COITE, and was continued by Joseph COIT, Hugh MOULD, John STINESS, and others. The barks "Speedwell," "Hopewell," and "Endeavour" were among the first vessels constructed, and in 1661 the "New London Tryall," the first merchant vessel in the place, was built by John ELDERKIN, and was regarded a remarkable affair, "costing, exclusive of iron-work, spikes, and nails, two hundred pounds." The early coasting trade was principally with Boston. Household goods, clothing, powder, lead, and military accoutrements, also implements of husbandry, were obtained, and returns made in "peltins and wampum." Small vessels and boats trafficked with Long Island, Rhode Island, and elsewhere, and soon the trade extended to New York, and as far as Virginia. Dry hides and buckskins constituted the principal commerce with the latter place. 1 [1. The lease buckskin was to weigh was four pounds and a half. A pound and a half of hides was equal in value to a pound of buckskin, one pound of hides equaled two pounds of old iron, two pounds of hides equaled one pound of old pewter. Here are old iron and old pewter having a fixed value as articles of barter and merchandise!-Miss CAULKINS.] During the year 1660 a circumstance of some note occurred in the town. The ship "Hope," from Malaga, Spain, came into harbor in want of provisions. She had been chartered for Virginia, and was loaded with wine, raisins, and almonds, destined for that port. But her voyage had been long and the weather tempestuous, and the storm-beaten vessel was leaky and obliged to put into this port for repairs. Here cargo was found to be damaged, and the state of affairs in Virginia was not favorable for its shipment to that colony. As the vessel needed "trimming and sheathing," and was required to discharge of the cargo for that purpose, it was sold at New London, and the super-cargo of the vessel, Mr. Robert LOVELAND, became a resident of the town. He entered fully into commercial affairs of the place, and prosecuted a voyage to Newfoundland for the purpose of trade and barter. He afterwards purchased a tract of land at Green Harbor, intending to build wharves and warehouse, and to make it a port of entry for the town. Finding the spot unfavorable for the purpose he abandoned the project, and after a few years died, assigning all his estate, "whether lands, houses, horses, cattle, debts due by book, bill, or bond, either in New England, Virginia, or elsewhere," to Alexander PYGAN.

In 1666, MOULD and COIT, previously referred to as the leading ship-builders in New London, launched the ship "New London," a seventy-ton vessel, being larger than any vessel heretofore constructed in the place. The "New London" was designated for an employed in European voyages. In 1678 the same builders completed the largest, undoubtedly, of all the vessels built by then, viz., the "John and Hester," of about one hundred tons burden, which made several successful voyages under the command of John and Jonathan PRENTIS, who were part owners of the vessel. The West India trade assumed quite an important place in New London. On the 26th of June, 1724, six vessels sailed at one time for the West India Islands, all freighted with cargoes of horses, which at that time constituted a principal article of export form the town. Eight years previous, in 1716, mention is made by Miss CAULKINS of a shipment by one vessel of forty-five horses to Barbadoes.

Sources

• http://dunhamwilcox.net/town_hist/nl-chap15b.htm
• Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection)
• Connecticut, Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934
• "One Colonial Woman's World" by Michelle Marchetti Coughlin. OneColonialWomansWorld.com
• U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700
• American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI)
• Find A Grave: Memorial #11367405